Gua Sha

Pronounced 'Gwah Shah'. Pressure and stimulation is applied to the skin via the skilled use of  a blunt edged tool, such as a Chinese spoon or jade tool. This results in the appearance of small red or purple spots ‘Sha’.  The effect is similar to a scrape but the skin is not damaged and the redness fades in a few days.

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Gua sha is used to move qi and blood stagnation; Chinese medicine considers stagnation to be the main cause of pain and stiffness in muscles and joints.  Gua sha encourages circulation and releases tension as well as removing toxins.

Gua sha is often my first choice for stress induced stiff and painful neck and shoulders.